


Fair Turnabout

by last_illusions (injured_eternity)



Series: Sixth Senses [2]
Category: Criminal Minds, NCIS
Genre: Crossover, Episode Tag, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-17
Updated: 2009-10-17
Packaged: 2017-10-17 08:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/175061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/injured_eternity/pseuds/last_illusions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He forgets, sometimes, how well she reads people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fair Turnabout

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers: _Criminal Minds_ 5x01 ["Faceless, Nameless"]; _NCIS_ 7x01 ["Truth or Consequences"]

They wind up at a coffee shop, because he’s not yet so desperate as to mix alcohol and painkillers, and she’s not so inconsiderate as to drink when he can’t.

“What’s your story?” he asks after a moment, easing back in the chair and trying not to wince.

“I’m sorry?”

“We’ve been sparring for over two years,” he points out. “You think I can’t call your bluff as well as you can mine? You _vanished_ for four months.”

Sighing, she toys with the corner of a napkin. “I… I told you I was Mossad, liaison to NCIS,” she answers. “I returned to Tel Aviv in May.” She doesn’t tell him why; he doesn’t ask. “An operation shortly after went badly; I spent three months held captive in Somalia.”

He nods, understanding without being shocked, which is a large part of why they get along so well. “Clearly, you managed to get out.”

“NCIS sent in a few agents from my team,” she explains. “The idiots intentionally got themselves captured.”

“You have a loyal team.”

“I do.” She pauses, taking a sip of her drink and surveying him over the rim of her cup. “And what is yours?”

He grins wryly, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I thought we went over this.”

“You would not be this upset if it were only the attack,” she observes, and he grimaces. He forgets, sometimes, how well she reads people. That it is fair turnabout he ignores for the moment.

“He’s threatening Haley and Jack. They’re in Witness Protection now.” It still hurts to say it aloud.

“I am sorry,” she tells him, voice and eyes level. “You will catch him.”

His smile is crooked. “So my team keeps telling me.”

“They are right.”

“I hope so.” He hesitates, then begins, “You said ‘was’. Are you—”

“I do not know,” she answers. “I am not yet cleared to return to NCIS, and…”

She trails off, and he holds up a hand, expression apologetic. “I’m sorry. I know.”

“Thank you.” She has no better response, so she simply toasts him with her coffee cup. “Because we survived.”

It takes him a moment, because there are days when he wonders if this really even counts as surviving, but he lifts his cup to hers. “Yes. Yes, we did.”

  
 _Finis._

 _Feedback is always appreciated._


End file.
